What Is Snakewood?
Snakewood is known as one of the most expensive woods in the world. It is prized for its unique appearance, durability, and rot resistance. Snakewood is native to the coastal regions of northeastern South America.
Snakewood got its name because the wood’s pattern resembles a snake’s skin.
| # | Snakewood |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Brosimum guianense |
| Tree Size | 60–80 ft (19–25 m) tall, 6–12 in (15–30 cm) trunk diameter |
| Average Dried Weight | 75.7 lbs/ft³ (1,210 kg/m³) |
| Janka Hardness | 3,800 lbf (16,900 N) |
| Crushing Strength | 17,260 lbf/in² (119 MPa) |
| Elastic Modulus | 3,364,000 lbf/in² (23.2 GPa) |
| Type | Hardwood |
| Rot Resistance | Resistant to rot and insects |
Snakewood Uses
Generally, Snakewood is used for making decorative items. However, it is also used for other applications, including the following.
Musical Instruments: Snakewood is a popular choice for making musical instrument components, such as fingerboards and parts of violins, violas, cellos, and guitars.
Wooden Items: Snakewood is used to make luxury items such as jewelry boxes, pens, and knife handles.
Snakewood is expensive and not easily available everywhere, so it is not commonly recommended for making furniture.
Appearance
Snakewood ranges from dark reddish-brown to light golden-brown, with black patches in some areas. Snakewood has markings that resemble the skin of a snake, which makes it completely different from many other woods.
The wood also has a natural luster that gives it a rich, warm appearance. Its grain is generally straight with a fine, even texture.
Like other woods, Snakewood can also change color over time. It may become more reddish-brown when exposed to UV light or air. Its natural color can be preserved with proper sealing or finishing.
Working with Snakewood
Snakewood is not easy to work with because of its high density. Due to its hardness, it can have a strong blunting effect on cutting tools. Snakewood is so dense that it can dull cutting tools quickly, so sharp tools should be used when working with it.
One of the biggest problems with working with Snakewood is that it is quite brittle and can easily splinter during machining. Working with Snakewood requires patience, as it can be more challenging to work with than many other woods. It can also be difficult for beginners to finish properly. Once properly finished, however, it can produce a smooth and shiny appearance.
Hardness
Snakewood has a Janka hardness rating of 3,800 lbf and an average dried weight of 75.7 lbs/ft³ (1,210 kg/m³). Here is the Janka hardness of a few popular wood species compared with Snakewood to give you an idea of how hard Snakewood is.
| Wood Species | Janka Hardness |
|---|---|
| Purpleheart | 2,520 lbf (11,190 N) |
| Jatoba | 2,690 lbf (11,950 N) |
| Bloodwood | 2,900 lbf (12,900 N) |
| Mun ebony (Vietnamese ebony) | 3,000 lbf (13,350 N) |
| Pau Santo | 3,280 lbf (14,590 N) |
| Snakewood | 3,800 lbf (16,900 N) |
| Lignum vitae | 4,390 lbf (19,510 N) |
Snakewood is an extremely hard wood, with a Janka hardness of about 3,800 lbf. It is harder than many commonly used hardwoods, although lignum vitae has a higher Janka hardness.
Rot Resistance
Yes, Snakewood is naturally durable and resistant to decay and insect attack. Its natural properties contribute to its durability and resistance to insects.
Snakewood is also extremely dense, which contributes to its weight and working characteristics. However, despite its durability, it is generally more commonly used for small specialty and decorative applications than for outdoor construction.
Snakewood Pros and Cons
Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of Snakewood that you should know before using it.
Pros
- Extremely Durable: Snakewood is very durable and naturally resistant to decay and insect attack. It requires relatively little maintenance compared with some other woods.
- Beautiful Appearance: Snakewood is known for its snake-like appearance and dark reddish-brown color, which make it a popular choice for decorative woodwork and luxury items.
- High Stability: Snakewood has relatively low dimensional movement, which can help it remain stable when properly dried and handled.
Cons
- High Cost: Snakewood is a rare and exotic wood, which makes it very expensive. It can cost many times more than common hardwoods.
- Hard to Work With: Snakewood’s density and hardness make it difficult to work with. Working with Snakewood can require more time, care, and specialized tools than working with many other hardwoods.
Is Snakewood a Good Wood?
Yes, Snakewood is a high-quality wood species for the right applications. It is very hard, dense, durable, and visually distinctive.
However, Snakewood is not suitable for every project. Its high cost, limited availability, hardness, and brittleness make it better suited to decorative and specialty applications than to large construction projects.
Snakewood is considered an excellent choice for items such as inlays, knife handles, pens, violin-bow components, and other small decorative objects.
Is Snakewood Good for Cutting Boards?
Snakewood can technically be used for cutting boards, but it is not a common choice.
Its extreme hardness can be tough on knife edges, and its brittleness can also make cracking and checking a concern. For these reasons, hard maple, soft maple, and walnut are generally more practical choices for cutting boards.
Is Snakewood Good for Firewood?
Snakewood is not commonly used as firewood, although it can technically be burned.
However, it is generally not recommended to use Snakewood as firewood because of its high value and rarity. Snakewood is a valuable specialty wood, and using it as firewood would waste a material that is better suited to decorative and woodworking applications.
How Much Does Snakewood Cost?
Snakewood is one of the most expensive and rare hardwoods in the world. The price of Snakewood depends on factors such as quality, size, availability, market demand, and location.
Highly figured Snakewood can command exceptionally high prices because pieces with the characteristic snakeskin pattern are relatively scarce. Less-figured material may be sold under names such as Amourette and can cost considerably less.
If you plan to buy Snakewood, purchase it from a reputable supplier. Make sure you understand the wood’s grade, dimensions, figure, and condition before buying.
Is Snakewood Poisonous?
Snakewood is not generally considered poisonous, but its dust and wood can cause irritation or allergic reactions in some people. Reported reactions include skin and respiratory irritation.
When working with Snakewood, use appropriate safety precautions, including good ventilation, dust extraction, eye protection, and respiratory protection when necessary.
Is Snakewood a Hardwood or Softwood?
Snakewood is a hardwood. It is a very dense and hard hardwood species from the mulberry family (Moraceae). Its Janka hardness is approximately 3,800 lbf, placing it among the extremely hard commercial woods.